40 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Mr. Low. Since the question was first brought up by 

 Professor Stockbridge, I think I have used almost every one 

 that has been introduced, and I must say without prejudice 

 or favoritism that with the exception of two brands I have 

 always been satisfied with the application of the goods of 

 every reliable manufacturer. 



Mr. Kline (of Egremont). I have had some experience 

 with fertilizer, but not very extensive, and I failed to get 

 good results by sowing it on a sod for the grass crop. I 

 always get good results l)y working it into the soil. Per- 

 haps the speaker can tell me why I do not get good results 

 from top-dressing for grass. Perhaps I did not sow it at 

 the right time, which was some time in April. 



Mr. Parker. I have been in the habit of sowins; as soon 

 as possible after grass had grown about three inches high. 

 Perhaps your trouljle has been in not applying a sufficient 

 amount of fertilizer, or perhaps your combination of chem- 

 icals was not right. 



Mr. Kline. I used mixed or prepared fertilizers. 



Mr. Parker. I have yet to see a l)it of grass land so 

 poor that I could not start a good crop of grass with nitrate 

 of soda alone, although it will not mature it without you 

 keep adding to it through the summer. The trouble with 

 all fertilizers that I have found is that the mixed goods do 

 not contain nitrogen enough for my soil. I cannot speak 

 for my neighbors. I can only speak of two farms upon 

 which I have been located in the last seven or eight years. 



Question. Does what you have said al)out nitrate of 

 soda apply to corn in the same way that it does to grass ? 



Mr. Parker. It does not. For corn we want more 

 potash. 



Mr. Ham (of Burlington). I have had much experience 

 for many years in the use of fertilizers, and I come from a 

 town the chief business of which is the raising of vegeta- 

 bles for the market, and we have to use a large amount of ' 

 fertilizer. I have paid five to seven dollars a cord for staljle 

 manure in Boston and Cambridge, and we could do no better 

 than that twenty years ago ; but times have changed all 

 around. We can get all the manure we want now for five 

 months in the year for the hauling of it away, and at a very 



